(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to modular units including at least one foldable panel on a central divider and which have a cabinet and a foldable bed or other work surface. The units provide work stations and can be joined to similar units to form a system. When the panels are folded the unit is portable for relocation.
(2) Prior Art And Related Inventions
The prior art is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 786,670 to Parker; 1,133,866 to Leighty; 1,244,497 to Hammock; 1,408,731 to Harris; 2,185,513 to Middleton; 2,456,536 to Doggett et al; 3,540,788 to Lundquist; 3,748,010 to Garte; 4,221,441 to Bain and 4,290,659 to Yoshiyuki. Except for Garte, these patents describe units which are not designed to be modular so as to form a system of multiple units.
Garte describes in reference to FIG. 4 a cabinet structure with two folddown tables one on each of two separate cabinets positioned together in a modular fashion. The tables are used for patient examinations. Such modular units are useful, but provide no privacy which is essential in hospital and physical examination settings.
One problem with the prior art cabinet sructures is that they do not provide ease of loading when the cabinet doors are closed since the doors cover up drawers and the like. There are no modular units that are known to the inventor where access is provided to a cabinet when the unit is in a folded condition.
In my application Ser. No. 518,480, I described a portable modular unit and system having a central divider particularly including a conveyor as the central divider and with foldable panels formed of tubular members to provide open panels. In the present application, a modular unit and system is described which is particularly adapted for patient examinations where privacy is required and thus where solid foldable panels are provided.